CalRecycle releases SB 54 updates as new year begins

California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) closed out 2024 with a pair of important updates as it continues to build out the state’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, or Senate Bill 54. The law is designed to cut single-use packaging and plastic food-ware waste by introducing an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program.

One such update was the publishing of a source reduction baseline. The report, prepared by CalRecycle and consulting firm Accenture, aims to establish a baseline measurement to ensure that the state achieves its S.B. 54 objectives to cut the amount of single-use plastic packaging and food-ware in the state. By 2032, the law requires that the producer responsibility organization (PRO) work with industry participants to reach a 25 percent reduction of the weight of plastic and a 25 percent reduction of the number of plastic components.

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To define quantitative source reduction targets, CalRecycle says it established a baseline weight and number of plastic components associated with single-use plastic packaging and plastic food-ware sold, offered for sale or distributed in the state in 2023. The organization says during that year, more than 2.9 million tons of plastic were used in single-use packaging and plastic food-ware, and these items collectively were made up of 171.4 billion plastic components.

Using this baseline, the state’s PRO, Washington-based Circular Action Alliance, will need to reduce single-use plastics by approximately 725,000 tons of plastic and 43 billion plastic components to reach the 2032 target.

CalRecycle and Accenture worked together to estimate the source reduction baseline by utilizing publicly available and third-party data on plastic generation (manufacturing, trade, distribution and sales) to estimate the approximate amount of single-use plastic packaging and food-ware sold, offered for sale or distributed in the state in 2023.

The model separately calculates the amount of single-use plastic packaging and single-use plastic food-ware. For packaging, the weight of plastic and number of plastic components was estimated based on the number of products sold in California, while food-ware estimates were based on the number of meals eaten out or at home using disposable plastics.

Changes to covered materials list

Along with publishing its source reduction baseline, CalRecycle also updated its covered material categories list under S.B. 54.

CalRecycle’s first list, released at end of December 2023, labeled 37 of 98 material categories as “potentially recyclable” in the state, including most types of glass, aluminum, cardboard, paper and plastics Nos. 1, 2 and 5, while an additional six categories were labeled “potentially compostable.” An update in July 2024 cut the list from 98 to 94 categories.

The most recent update, published Dec. 31, 2024, noted 45 of 94 categories as “recyclable,” with another 11 labeled “compostable.” Key additions to the recyclable list include ferrous and nonferrous metals such as tin, steel and bimetal products.

Moving away from foam

Another component of S.B. 54 took effect Jan. 1 with the state’s ban of the sale of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam foodware, more commonly known as Styrofoam, unless a producer can submit evidence to CalRecycle that its products meet a 25 percent recycling rate in the state.

The Washington-based Ocean Conservancy, an environmental group that helped negotiate the legislation, says plastic foam is one of the most common forms of plastic pollution both in California and globally, adding that it is difficult to recycle because of its light weight and the ease with which it can break apart. The organization says that since 1988, its volunteers have removed more than 750,000 plastic foam items and 700,000 tiny foam pieces from beaches and waterways in California alone.

The organization says its scientists estimate that the state’s foam ban will eliminate up to 3.9 billion pieces of foam foodware per year.

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“When it comes to preventing plastic pollution, bans work,” Ocean Conservancy Director of Plastic Policy Anja Brandon says. “With something as pernicious to the environment as plastic foam, this foam ban will make a huge impact in protecting California and the ocean from this widespread form of plastic pollution.”

Joining California in enacting plastic foam bans are Oregon (S.B. 543) and Rhode Island (S.B. 14). Oregon’s law bans PS foam foodware, packing peanuts and coolers and the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, while Rhode Island’s law bans the use of PS foam in food and beverage containers at restaurants and other food service establishments.